Newham Council

Newham Council

Newham were keen to meet the requirements and were also aware that it had been some while since they had conducted a full local cost of care survey. Following discussions, Valuing Care set out a bespoke project plan that took the DHSC guidance and combined this with Newham Council’s local needs. In addition, given the timescales, they were keen to bring in a company with experience based on previously completed projects of this nature.

The cost of care project will include the following client groups: 

• Older People’s Residential and Nursing Care 
• Learning Disabilities Residential, both in and out of the County
• Mental Health Residential Packages, both in and out of the Borough

For each spend area, Valuing care will survey the market and produce model rates that meet the conditions set out in the DHSC guidance. With a DHSC deadline of September 2022, Newham Council will be completed well within those timescales with an estimated completion date of June 2022.  

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Case Studies, , , , , ,

Staffordshire County Council

Staffordshire County Council

Logo for Staffordshire County CouncilValuing Care completed a cost review of Post 16 High Needs Learner (HNL); to develop greater understanding of HNL support costs and whether it represented value for money. A pricing model was also developed to purchase packages of support on a fair and consistent basis. Valuing Care surveyed all FE colleges in Staffordshire to identify the level of staff input, and the associated cost of supporting a sample of HNL. 

The identification of median costs, and corroboration against our benchmark data, provided the Council with a good indication of the usual cost of delivering support locally.

The results helped to develop and populate a cost model to inform future HNL funding decisions. 

Key Benefits:

  • Established processes for engaging service providers and reviewing the reported cost of delivering services.
  • Increased intelligence on how support costs vary to meet the needs of HNL.
  • Development of a cost model based on identification of the usual cost of delivering services.
Case Studies

Dorset Joint Commissioning Group

Dorset Joint Commissioning Group

Logo for Dorset Clinical Commissioning GroupIn response to a request for a large increase in fees from a national provider organisation, Dorset Joint Commissioning Group worked in partnership with Valuing Care to undertake a cost review of all the specialist care home services delivered by the provider. The objective was to assess the reasonableness of the current fees, thereby informing a decision on the requested fee uplift.

Valuing Care benchmarked the reported cost of the provider’s services against its cost model and national intelligence of care home costs. The review concluded current fees were in excess of a fair price. 

Key Benefits:

  • Established processes for engaging service providers and reviewing the reported cost of delivering services.
  • Service audits to obtain first hand evidence of the level of service being provided and to ensure commissioners are getting what they are paying for.
  • Achievement of savings from service providers that want to partner the Council and offer competitively priced services.
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Case Studies

Gloucestershire County Council

Gloucestershire County Council

Logo for Gloucestershire County Council

Through established processes Valuing Care undertook a survey of care home costs to identify the usual cost of providing services locally. The cross corroboration of the survey results with Valuing Care’s cost model, and national database comparator, provided the Council with clear guidance of what represents a fair rate for care home services. The Council commissioned Valuing Care to undertake a cost review of care home services for working age adults.

The purpose of the review was to help the Council update its ‘Residential Pricing Tool,’ which was no longer considered fit for purpose. 

Key Benefits:

  • Established processes for engaging care home providers and evidencing the usual cost of providing services.
  • Cross corroboration of local survey results with Valuing Care’s national database comparator.
  • Increased intelligence about the range of fees charged to different customer groups, levels of profitability, market efficiency and sustainability.
Case Studies

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough CouncilThe Council contracted Valuing Care to undertake a cost review of residential and nursing services for older people. The purpose of the review was to inform the setting of future rates for services that are fair, sustainable and evidenced based. Valuing Care used its established processes to undertake a survey of care home costs to identify the usual cost of providing services locally.

The survey also gathered information on the overall health and sustainability of the market with specific regard to occupancy levels and the range of fees.  The cross corroboration of the survey results with Valuing Care’s cost model and national database comparator, provided the Council with clear guidance of what represents a fair rate for care home services. The review also highlighted some of the inefficiencies in the market arising from the current oversupply of places.

Key Benefits:

  • Established processes for engaging care home providers, and evidencing the usual cost of providing services.
  • Cross corroboration of local survey results with Valuing Care’s national database comparator.
  • Increased intelligence about the range of fees charged to different customer groups, levels of profitability, market efficiency and sustainability.
Case Studies

Buckinghamshire County Council

Buckinghamshire County Council

Logo for Buckinghamshire Council

Valuing Care was awarded a contract to calculate unit costs for Buckinghamshire County Council’s in-house foster care service, to benchmark these services against the cost of services provided by Independent Foster Agencies, and to make an assessment of value for money. This project required Valuing Care to work closely with the Council’s operational management to understand the varying level of resource input into short-term, long-term, family and friends, and special needs placements. 

The intelligence gained enabled the cost of team budget to be apportioned between function, and the calculation of unit costs for each type of service.

A comparison of unit costs for the in-house service against Valuing Care’s cost model for IFA services highlighted areas of variance in both service levels and cost efficiency; key to informing future service strategy and outsourcing decisions.

Key Benefits:

  • Calculation of actual unit costs covering different types of foster care placements.
  • Greater understanding of differences in service levels and cost efficiency.
  • Increased intelligence to inform service strategy and outsourcing decisions.
Case Studies

Sunderland City County

Sunderland City County
Logo for Sunderland City Council
 
Through established processes Valuing Care undertook a survey of service provider costs to identify the usual cost of providing services locally. Providers reporting costs in excess of the local average were subsequently challenged to achieve efficiencies and pass the saving back to the Council.

The Council commissioned Valuing Care to undertake a cost review of specialist home care and support services for adults with learning disabilities. The purpose of the review was primarily to help the Council identify and achieve savings, but also to inform future pricing strategy.

Key Benefits:

  • Established processes for engaging service providers and evidencing the usual cost of providing services.
  • Cross corroboration of local survey results with Valuing Care’s cost model and national intelligence.
  • Achievement of savings from service providers who want to partner the Council and offer competitively priced services. 
Case Studies

Stoke-on-Trent City Council

City of Stoke-on-Trent

City of Stoke on Trent

A joint review of the cost of home care services for older people was instigated in response to local providers reporting increased difficulties in the recruitment and retention of staff. The objective was to provide commissioners with the necessary data to ensure a sustainable market in Stoke, and to deliver the quality and capacity of service to meet the needs of the local population. 

A survey of providers helped understand the usual cost of providing services, and identify options for improving recruitment and retention. 

Key Benefits:

  • Provides critical insight into market conditions and the issues affecting providers.
  • Ensures a clear understanding of the usual cost of delivering services locally.
  • Provides commissioners with greater confidence they are achieving value for money.
Case Studies

The London Borough of Merton Council Care Act Assessments

The London Borough of Merton Council Care Act Assessments

Valuing Care has completed over 270 Care Act Assessments and Reviews on behalf of the Borough as well as completing a placement audit for each case to highlight how prices compared to the company’s cost model. Remote access to the client database ensured that records could be recorded in real time. 

If a case was identified as above the model price then a more in depth costing report was produced and used to commence a negotiation with the provider and the outcome recorded in the “case notes” of the client database enabling the finance teams to make informed decisions about annual uplifts. The work commenced in the first week of March 2020 and has continued throughout the Covid 19 Pandemic with the Valuing Care team making use of available technology to support them to ensure that clients and their families were at the centre of the process.

Case Studies

Bath and North East Somerset Council and CCG

Bath and North East Somerset Council and CCG

Logo for Bath and North Somerset Council BaNES Council and CCG were keen to ensure that the prices they paid for services should give regard to the usual cost of delivering services but also ensure that value for money was being achieved for residents and taxpayers To ensure a fair and equitable approach the council commissioned Valuing Care to complete a cost of care review which included an independent survey of the costs of delivering services locally. 

Every CQC registered provider in the area was invited to participate in the survey and the anonymised results were presented in a report.  This work enabled BaNES to develop pricing and procurement strategies based on improved intelligence, which seek to ensure the sustainability of the market within the limited financial resources available. 

To date Valuing Care has completed a cost of care review for older peoples’ residential and community services and are currently embarking on 2 new projects to include younger adults specialist services both in the community helping people to continue to live at home and residential establishments.

Case Studies
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